The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-04-01
WASHINGTON LETTER
tFrom our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON. D. G., March 2S, 1887.
Secretary Whitney has placed an.
other brilliant feather in the cap of
this Administration. Probably no
Democrat, nor even Samuel J. Tilden
while living, ever received such un-
stinted praise from the Republican
press as has been showered upon him
during the past week. Nothing has
been done by any member Of Mr.. Cleve-
lands Cabinet since it was organized
more calculated to win popularity than
is the act of the Secretary of the Navy
by which the work of fortifying our
seaports and building ironclads is es-
tablished on a solid foundation.
From every side bis energy and sa-
gacity is applauded, the work he has
done to beguile bidders 10 accept of.
fered terms, and the ability he exhibits
in directing the general work of his
Department 1t really looks too as if
the name of Mr. Whitney would b.
associated in history with the building
of the American Navy. The response
to him was so prompt that the work
of fitting up the Washington Navy
Yard as an ordnance factory for the
assembling and completion of heavy
guns and steel forgings, will be begun
soon and rapidly carried forward.
Needless delays can be avoided be-
cause it is shown that the gun forgings
and armor plates can be furnished in a
much shorter time than was supposed.
For more than ely hteen months Sec
retary Whitney has been industriously
devising the means that make success
possible. He has been studying the
conditions OF the Notwithstanding
the needs of defensive armor, gauging
the impact of projectiles, fixing on
tests by which the Department will be
governed, and making the inducements
as attractive as possible.
Since all the iron foundries of the
country are pressed with unfulflled en-
gagements for months ahead, at high
prices, some surprise was expressed
that there should have been a single
bid for the millions of dollars worth of
work that was proposed. But the
proprietor of the Bethlehem company
foresaw that the boom would not last,
and that ii would pay to work for
Uncle Sam even on more reasonable
terms, because bis job would last for a
decade or so, both summer aud winter,
and his pay is sure.
1t is to be hoped that there will be
M mora lop,api t;opo for tho praoapt
over the failure of the Naval bills. At
least Secretary Whitney is satisfied
with the outlook. He says the prob.
lem which puzzles everybody is solved,
and that the work of terrifying coasts
and equipping ships is in just as good
shape a, it would have been if the Sem
ate bills had become laws.
Since l wrote you the long discussed
Interstate Commerce Commission has
been completed, announced, comment
ed upon, approyed-and now it is about
to organize and go to work. The five
lawyers composing it and who repre-
sent the States of Alabama, Illinois,
Michigan, New York and Vermont,
are practically placed in charge of pri-
vate properly valued at about seven
thousand million dollars. This tre-
mendous responsibility is greatly in
creased when it is remembered that al
most the entire internal commerce of
the country is affected by the action of
this new court.
No one doubts the honesty of the
members of the Commission, and they
are all conceded to be men of ability,
but their laoors will be complex and
comprehensive, the new law is a vast
problem every feature of its opera
tions more or less perilous, and what
ever is done, the Commission will be
criticised and opposed on every side.
The railroad men, shippers and travel
ers, producers and consumers are wait.
ing to pour complaints, queries, COM
munications and requests by the thou
sand upon the Commissioners as soon
as they are ready to receive them, and
will make their lives burdensome, of
course.
The effect of the new law upon this
city will be pronounced. Practically
it gives the Capital new Government
Department. A large and important
bureau will be organized at. on ,e, a
large clerical and official force will be
appointed by the Commission, legal and
other representatives of all the rail-.
roads in the United States will be
drawn here, besides thousands of peo-
pie interested in questions brought be
fore the Commission. Altogether it
will add greatly to the activity of the
coming summer in Washington.